Red
by Simply Kim
Summary: Sweat beaded Renji's brows as he fastened the last knot on his uniform, his muscles cording in anticipation of something he knew nothing of. The slight hesitation he felt from his captain was a dead giveaway... He had been found out.


**Title: **Red

**Author: **Simply Kim

**Pairing: **Abarai Renji x Kuchiki Byakuya

**Fandom:** Bleach

**Word Count:** 2,760

**Genre: **Yaoi. Angst. Drama. (A bit of) Humour.

**Disclaimer:** I'd love to have the creativity and talent Kubo Tite does. Unfortunately, I don't, so I don't own any of these characters or the series... just this story. ^_^

**NOTE#1:** **Blah **or _**Blah **_is for emphasis. _**/Blah/**_is for conversations over the phone or flashbacks (if any). _/Blah/_ is for the conscience or whatever inner voice there is talking. _Blah _is for thoughts or random Japanese words.

**NOTE#2: **This is made with the assumption that Ichimaru Gin is just spying on Aizen, and he becomes the captain of the Third Division again, only, there had been a shuffle and Kira isn't his vice-captain anymore. XD;

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**RED **

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**01. Excitement **

Renji had always thought that sakura trees were the most beautiful things in the world. This liking he had of it transcended from when he was still mortal, living in pre-modern Japan. The sight of its dark branches covered with dainty pink flowers gave the impression of hope, change, and most of all – peace.

However, everything changed upon learning of the noble Kuchiki family, specifically the existence of its head – Kuchiki Byakuya. Perhaps it was bitterness in his part that made him shun the idea of ever aligning himself with him and compromising his principles… and perhaps part of it was because he had taken his dear friend Rukia away from him.

He only had to wonder though, why there was a glimmer of something unknown amidst the hatred he felt.

He only had to wonder why every time he caught so much as a glimpse of him – even from afar – the beat of his heart did nothing but accelerate.

**02. Vigour**

It wasn't as if he did not know.

Byakuya's eyes involuntarily sought out his vice-captain upon reaching the Sixth Division's headquarters. He slowly walked past the archway and past the iron-wrought gates… and his gaze would settle on that deliriously energetic figure joining the rest of the squad practicing their early morning _kata_.

He would observe every step he made, and scrutinise every expression crossing his face. As always, seeing this kind of vigour and this kind of tenacity, he couldn't help wonder if the others knew that once every two weeks, Abarai Renji would come up to their captain and challenge him to a duel.

A small smile settled on his lips as the tips of his fingers tingled.

It wasn't as if he didn't like it.

**03. Revolution**

Aizen Sousuke sure knew how to cripple an established society.

Renji wiped blood off his lip and ran his tongue on the area where it split. He winced slightly as the wound stung. He wasn't going to surrender just because his body was close to giving in. He gritted his teeth and swung, ordering Zabimaru to gnaw on the flesh of the hollows closing in on him. His zanpakutou's shrieking made him feel better. As long as they were fighting together, everything would fall into place – with him as the victor. He did not need anything more.

He closed his eyes briefly and let his muscles rest. Even if his heart was thumping wildly, he felt like he was floating. It wasn't calm. Nor was it excitement. It was something else…

His eyes snapped open as he heard someone call his name. The tone was sharp, the edges jagged – just as something splattered onto the side of his face. Eyes wide, he turned almost instantaneously, fast enough to see an arrankar smiling down on him… missing half of its face.

The horror made his stomach contract and he controlled the sudden urge to gag. Seeing them get cut up from afar was better, he thought sickly. As it disintegrated into nothingness, butchered into small pieces, slivers of winking blades the colour of pink cherry blossoms caught his eye.

Renji's unknown saviour was not nameless after all.

And his heart thundered in reply.

**04. Blood**

It was over.

He gazed at what was left of the three worlds and felt a gyrating void of sorrow in his heart. It would take a few years before everything would run smoothly again. Lives were lost and some relationships were severed. This was the wretched outcome of war.

He scanned the area, strategically searching for that one person who was by his side as he fought for peace.

_Renji._

There he was, numerous cuts marking his body, his torso exposed and clothes frayed beyond recognition. His hair was unbound and the thick strands framed his face and neck as if he had taken a quick dip into a river of sticky, congealing blood.

Byakuya's eyes softened and slowly, he walked towards him, eyes never leaving the weary frame. He caught hold of the tattered scarf still resting on his shoulders and pulled. He could see the other man's body stiffen in surprise, cautiously turning to his direction.

He murmured his name as he stepped up to him… and with a quick, fluid motion, he slipped the ragged scarf around his shoulders. There was definite surprise in Renji's eyes and his bloodied lips parted as if in silent protest.

Byakuya stepped away, his curious fingers lingering for a good few moments, touching lightly the flowing crimson strands resting on his vice-captain's bare shoulders.

And with a small nod, he turned and walked away, heading to the makeshift shelter of the Fourth Division, ignoring the tickling sensation of blood dripping from the gaping wound on his side.

**05. Movement**

It had been with him for months now, and still he had no courage to return such a small item of clothing. He did his best to fix it himself. He knew he didn't do an impeccable job, but he tried really hard.

He even grovelled for Quincy Extraordinaire, Ishida Uryuu, to teach him how to sew.

Although he felt like his Manliness Points just went down an entire notch after all the domesticating he had gone through, mending and starching and washing…he was happy he could do something decent for his captain.

It was a good kind of change.

He sighed. They had just finished constructing the offices a week ago. Work was fast and efficient and perfect. Just as his captain wanted. And now his superior was inside, signing papers and filing payrolls. He should be with him, helping… but he wasn't really good with paperwork. In fact, he abhorred it with a passion.

Grumbling under his breath, he wondered how long he was going to carry the scarf around inside his pocket. He had been chickening out ever since the day he finished mending it. _I'm such a fucking wuss…_

He was so absorbed in his internal debate that he didn't notice the sudden displacement of air beside him. It wasn't until a hand touched his shoulder briefly before he finally realised he had company. He started – eyes wide and mouth open in shock as recognition dawned.

Renji's cheeks reddened.

_Shit._

**06. Passion**

Byakuya stared at the outstretched hand before him.

And blinked.

And blinked some more.

He looked up and gazed at his vice-captain bowing repeatedly, apologising profusely. It was amusing to say the least. It was the first time something like this happened. After all, Renji didn't have the habit of saying sorry for anything – let alone something as small a matter as this.

He was surprised too. Byakuya had seen never seen him look so troubled since…

_Rukia._

There was a pang of hurt in his heart as he gazed at him thoughtfully. Back then, he knew Renji despised him for a lot of things – most of all for his seeming callousness. It wasn't as if he didn't deserve it. In fact he deserved such loathing so much he knew it would be an honour for his vice-captain to kill him with one vengeful blow. Because he failed a lot of people; his deceased parents, his clan, Soul Society… and Hisana.

Byakuya let out a quiet sigh before touching him again, this time on the wrist. He could feel Renji's pulse throbbing, and strangely, his own raced, synchronising… melding. Their eyes met and held. And after such a long time, he felt the flutter of countless butterflies invading his stomach.

With slow, definite movements, he let his hand drop back to his side and bent down slightly.

Then, without further instruction, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, Renji looped the scarf around his shoulders and layered it loosely, his awkward but gentle hands freeing his hair from the confines of the material.

Skin touched skin.

Byakuya felt as if his neck was on fire.

**07. Desire**

He wanted him.

Renji came to this conclusion inside the office's private bathroom during one painfully restless night of overtime. _Shit!_ He screamed inwardly in frustration. _What the hell am I doing?_

It was his captain's fault falling asleep on the guest quarter's sofa. He had locked the door, yes, but didn't he know his vice-captain keeps the spare key? Imagine his shock upon seeing Kuchiki Byakuya, head of the most powerful clan in Seireitei sprawled carelessly on the narrow loveseat, hair in disarray and a book lying facedown on his stomach. The hem of his uniform was riding up one thigh, exposing pale creamy legs –

_SHIT!_

He had been harbouring this thirst for quite a long while now and tonight was the last straw. It wasn't as if he was thinking and moving about led by the extra appendage between his legs.

He just wanted him.

Plain and simple.

He gritted his teeth and doubled over, resting his forehead against the cold tiled wall of the cubicle, one hand plastered on the wall for support and the other moving up and down in feverish frenzy. His breath came out in huge gasps and a low rumble of sound bubbled up from his throat.

Renji hoped his superior was still asleep. If he was discovered doing this and if the reason was ever known, he would die from the embarrassment – or just die. This was, he knew, disrespect. But he couldn't help it… he couldn't help the overwhelming emotion he felt from morphing into something so hideously perverse he just…

_Kuchiki-taichou…_Then the world crashed around him as he closed his eyes, his head snapping back as he fought to contain himself, wrestling with the rush of waves upon waves of pleasure ripping him apart.

It rolled, crashed some more, and slowly ebbed away.

As he slowly opened his eyes, as the initial white spots faded into the small world of the bathroom stall, he looked down and exhaled in temporary contentment, gaze zeroing in on the sticky congealing fluid dripping thickly from his right hand and splattered onto the formerly immaculate wall.

But nothing really changed.

He still carried the pregnant ardour in his heart.

He still felt hot… and terribly helpless.

**08. Heat**

It was no use, Byakuya thought idly as he slowly got up and shook the tiredness away. He ignored the sound thud as the book lying on his stomach fell on the tatami.

He had been working for the past eight hours and had been lacking sleep for an entire fortnight. He had been thinking on the smouldering sensation running through his body whenever he as so much brushed against Renji.

It was uncanny, how painful it felt. Painful not because of the heat, but painful because it was fleeting. He had been noticing, since the day his scarf was returned that his vice-captain was avoiding him. It wasn't blatant, but sometimes he wished it was. At least, if that was the case, he would be able to confront him as his superior and everything would be settled and dealt with swiftly.

Kuchiki Byakuya was not a patient man.

He did not like waiting, nor did he like uncertainty. He wanted his questions answered as soon as possible. However, this standard of his was slowly eroding, ever since he had met Abarai Renji. He had been at a loss as to what to do and why he kept on remaining calm even after being challenged, disobeyed and disrespected countless times. He had been conjuring up numerous reasons ranging from the most logical to the least plausible… even to one as ridiculous as 'Because'.

This morning, as they worked together on signing papers and rewriting returned documents from the Third Division (Because it was mediocre and Gin was being his usual evil self.), it finally dawned on him. Somehow, the feeling of ease and amusement gradually transformed into this completely bizarre emotion he never thought he would be able to feel after Hisana.

_It really is __**that**__…isn't it?_

A sudden draft of early evening air streamed from the curtained windows, and a chill rose from his leg. He blinked at the sight of his exposed limb and his cheek reddened considerably. Maybe he was more tired that he previously thought, he mused, standing up and letting the hem of his uniform fall down to his ankles.

There was a thin tendril of worry in his mind as he stooped down to pick up his fallen book and place it on the glass table. He had locked the door after he sent Renji, along with the completed pile of files, off to Ichimaru Gin and his new vice-captain. But he still felt as if he had forgotten something important…

There was an unexpected subdued thud in the bathroom. As small a sound as it was, it jarred Byakuya's line of thought, making him remember.

His vice-captain had the spare key.

And they were scheduled for overtime.

**09. Lust**

His captain was awake.

Panic gripped him as he pulled on his clothes hurriedly. Renji could feel his reiatsu approaching, and as it edged closer, he knew his own was gradually betraying the state he was currently in.

Panic. Shock. Guilt. Sexual gratification.

Sweat beaded his brows as he fastened the last knot on his uniform, his muscles cording in anticipation of something he knew nothing of. The slight hesitation he felt from his captain was a dead giveaway.

He had been found out.

And he was calling him.

Quietly, he opened the door and stepped outside, keeping his eyes downcast, staring at his slippers. Renji felt as if his insides were roiling, boiling away with the force of renewed need, now that he was before the object of his obsession for many Soul Society years.

The silence that followed was long and deafening...

Until a surprised sound escaped from his lips as a pale hand shot out toward him.

He didn't have time to rear back and run away. He stood, as if nailed to the floorboards, eyes wide and body strumming in suspense as long slim fingers seemingly fluttered, their tips touching the broad expanse of skin of his chest, left exposed in his haste to get dressed.

Their pressure increased steadily, making him swallow nervously. He was absorbed by their circling motions, his breath quickening as they trailed downward, easing past the folds of his yukata until they stopped at the farthest end of the deep vee of black cloth.

His captain said his name once again, voice guttural but soft, filled with such passion he never knew he was capable of delivering before him. It made his head snap up, and their gazes met.

Renji didn't know if he wanted to believe what he was seeing. There was an awkward expression on the other man's face, and his eyes were burning with the same need that was consuming him earlier. There was the fear, uncertainty and the small light of a plea… an unspoken request that made something inside him shatter.

With renewed vigour, he took hold of Byakuya's wandering hand and stepped forward, looping his other arm around the deceptively narrow waist.

He could hear his rasping breath and feel his thundering pulse. He could smell the faint scent of flowers and touch his feverish skin…

Now it was Renji's turn to murmur his name with heartfelt sentiment before crashing his mouth onto his captain's own.

**10. Love**

Byakuya opened his eyes, his lower back feeling a bit sore.

It was past midnight, he gauged as he stared at the risen full moon visible through the high windows. The light breeze tickled his skin and made him feel lazy.

Perhaps it was the experience of reaching ultimate heights of pleasure he had never thought was even possible… or perhaps it was the comforting feel of belonging as warm arms enveloped him. Comforting even if he was lying on a makeshift bed of black and white uniforms strewn haphazardly on the tatami floor.

A small sound of amusement whistled through his lips as he thought of what Hisana would say if she saw him like this. She would be amused, no doubt. _And…_

There was a small flurry of unexpected motion as the body beside him shifted. Renji was finally awake; the hot breath that was scorching his neck was now scalding his scalp and the arm he wound around him was tightening as if asking for reassurance.

_She would be happy for me_.

With a small smile, Byakuya laid a warm hand on it and burrowed deeper in the embrace.

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**ENDE**

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_**A/N:**__ Feedbacks are greatly appreciated. ^_^_

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